Going Home
by delanceyland
Summary: After Tahno and Korra get engaged, Tahno's parents force him to come home so they can meet his leading lady.


"Tahno, what's wrong?" Korra looked down at him on the couch. He was looking irritated and rather dejected. Instead of answering her, he handed a crumpled letter up to her. She took the letter, rubbed it on the edge of the table to remove the bulk of the wrinkles and began to read it.

_Tahno,_

_You never write anymore and you never come home for a visit. Your mother and I are tired of reading about your life in a newspaper. Come home for the annual harvest, and bring your fiancée with you. Do not make come up there, I will bring the Swamp Monster to Republic City. You're giving your mother anxiety. _

_Your Dad,_

_Suka _

Before Korra could stop herself, she busted out laughing. Tahno just glared at her from his position on the couch.

"The Swamp Monster, Tahno? I don't think you have a choice in the matter." Korra was almost doubled over from laughter; Tahno glared harder.

"Yeah." His curt answer stopped Korra's laugh short and she gave him an irritated look.

"I don't know why you're making such a big deal out of it. They just want to see you. Have you even been back home since you moved here?"

"Well...no. But that's for a reason, thank you very much."

"Besides," she began, completely ignoring his last remark, "you've met my whole village and I haven't even met your parents." Tahno didn't even bother with an argument; he knew once Korra had her mind set on something, there was no changing it. Though he agreed that he probably should keep in better contact with his family, he in no way wanted to visit the swamps again. He cringed at even the thought.

"When is the harvest?"

"In two days." He sighed.

"We'll leave tomorrow morning." And with that, he was heading home for the first time in five years.

Korra didn't have any idea what to pack, so as they stepped on the tiny wooden boat, all they carried was one small suitcase. She gave Tahno a quizzical look.

"I tried to warn you." That morning when they left Republic City, they had gotten into another argument over heading back to his village. When he had told her that it was "underdeveloped" she never imagined a small boat, with two men in grass skirts using waterbending to propel the boat forward. Though, she didn't really have any previous knowledge of the swamps. All she had to go off of was Katara's horror stories.

They headed along the river for a good thirty minutes – all of which Tahno refused to say anything to her. Then she saw a break in the heavily wooded area lining the water and the boat began to slow down. The two waterbenders guiding the boat tied it off on a tall tree.

"Welcome home, Tahno!" One of the waterbenders said. It was the first time they had spoken the entire trip and Korra just gaped at their accents. They were so different from what she had ever heard – and even more different than Tahno's smooth drawl.

"Thank you, Jasook. Glad to be back." He sounded anything but glad.

"Your mother is waiting for you back at your hut." Korra saw Tahno's eye twitch as soon as Jasook said the word 'hut'. Tahno grabbed her hand and began leading/pulling her along a small path lined through the trees. Before they were completely out of earshot, she heard Jasook say to the other waterbender:  
"He _actually_ is marrying the Avatar, who'dda thunked it? That little rascal alwa-" Tahno began pulling her faster down the path and she didn't get to hear the rest of the sentence. The look on Tahno's face kept her from asking what they were talking about. Soon enough, since he practically had them running, they entered the village. Though, it took a while for Korra to even realize that there was a village. Tahno pointed up at the trees.

"That is incredible." Up in the tress were dozens of house all connected by rope ladders. In the middle of the circle of huts, was one big hut.

"Sure." Though Korra was getting agitated by his curt answers and woeful looks, she pretended like it wasn't fazing her.

"Which one's yours?" Opting not to answer, he just grabbed her hand once again and led her to the third tree on the right of her.

"I hope your not afraid of heights." She shook her head, though she was a little discomforted by the sagginess of the rope ladders leading up the tree. Once they got to the top, he helped her up on the platform.

"Don't look so nervous. They're your parents, pretty boy." He gave her a look and knocked on the door. Almost before he could knock a second time, the door swung open. Standing there was a woman with brown hair that touched her lower back. She was wearing a very blowy dress, that was obviously all hand made. The next thing she noticed was that this woman was not wearing any shoes.

"TAHNO! WHY HAVEN'T YOU CAME HOME? I'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK! I WAS ABOUT TO LET YOUR FATHER GET OUT THE SWAMP MONSTER. YOU KNOW HOW HE GETS WHEN HE HAS TO BRING OUT THE SWAMP MONSTER. YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HOME IN OVER FIVE YEARS! I'VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH. NEVER STAY GONE THAT LONG EVER AGAIN, DO YOU HEAR ME?" Tahno sighed.

"Yes, mother. I won't stay gone so long." Then his mom grabbed his arm and pulled him into a rough hug. She grabbed his face and gave him two big kisses, one on each cheek. Korra giggled at how cute this was.

"Oh, and this much your fiancée! She is very pretty! I can't believe you're actually marrying the Avatar. You used to-"

"Mother, please!" he cut her off.

"Tahno, don't be ridiculous. It's a cute story and I'm sure Korra would love to hear it, wouldn't you? You always were such a particular child. Oh, dear, I'm such an awful hostess. My name is Moira and this is my husband, Suka. And that little rascal over there is, Riki, he's Tahno's little brother."

"Not that little, mom. I'm only a year younger." Riki was almost an exact replica of Tahno, except his hair, of course, wasn't so meticulously done and hung loosely around his face. "It's been a long time No-No."

"No-No?" Korra questioned.

"It's the name Riki used to call Tahno, he couldn't pronounce his t's very well." Tahno looked like he was about to throw himself out the window.

"That's so cute! Now how about that story?" Tahno threw her an almost death-like glare; Korra was unabashed.

"Yes, yes! Come sit down and I'll tell you all about it." The sat on wooden chairs (that were a lot comfier than they appeared) in the middle of the room.

"I really don't think there's any need to tell this story, mother." Tahno almost begged.

"Please, Tahno, don't be such a downer all the time. I don't know how you deal with this, Korra. He's lucky to have you."

"Thank you very much, ma'am."

"So polite! Though, there's no need for ma'am, it makes me feel too old. Just call me Moira." Moira gave her a motherly pat on the hand. Korra smiled in return. Never has she felt so welcome in the home of a complete stranger. I guess all the rumors about Southern hospitality were true.

"But, on to the story. Way back when Tahno was a little boy, all the boys in the tribe would always brag about how they were going to marry the avatar. It was a common game to play here in the village. They would have waterbending duels to decide who would get to marry the avatar. It was all really rather silly. But my Tahno here, he was quite different than the other boys. It was like he was actually in love with you. He would beat all the other boys in every duel, he said it was for "your honor". He always said that together you two were going to save the world and have _lots _of babies. He just loved to talk about all the babies..." she seemed to lost in her memories, "but, that's why when we read in the paper – which, I did not enjoy at all, you couldn't have just dropped by and told me you were getting engaged? - but when we read in the paper that he was marrying the avatar, it was quite the little laugh around here."

"Awh, Tahno, why didn't you tell me? That's so cute!"

"And by cute you mean exceeding pathetic and creepy. Then yes, I agree."

"Don't be rude, Tahno! Especially to your lovely fiancée. But enough chatter, we'll have plenty of time for that later. You must be just exhausted from the long trip. Tahno, go show her to your room." His mother waved him off in the direction of the room.

"Yes, mother." He grabbed the suitcase and walked over to a door in the far left of the room. Instead of it being a room, it was another rope ladder leading even farther up the tree. At the top was another platform with what looked like a miniature version of the house below them. Once again, he helped her up on the platform. Everything in the room was very earthy and it was all handcrafted. Korra looked at all the furniture with such reverence that Tahno actually chuckled for the first time the whole night.

"What? This is all amazing. They make all of this!" She sat down on the bed. "Wow! This bed is so comfortable! Is that a mattress made of feathers?" She laid down on the bed and looked out the window to the right of her.

"This is nice, Tahno. I don't know why you wouldn't want to come home. Your mom is the nicest lady. Don't just stand there, come here!" He silently obeyed and laid down beside Korra.

"I just don't like coming back. It's that simple."

"You don't have to be so harsh about it. Jeez. And why didn't you ever tell me that you had a crush on my when you were a child? That's a very cute story."

"It would have been really creepy if I had told you. I was hoping to avoid that story, actually." Tahno turned himself over on his side so that he was facing her. "Knowing your soon to be husband has wanted to marry you since he was a toddler isn't the kind of story I like to tell."

"Hey, now. You won duels in my honor. That's not something I can just pass up," she teased lightheartedly.

"I had to defend your honor. The other guy was a complete prick. I didn't want you marrying him instead." He shrugged his shoulders.

"At least now I know how you got into pro-bending. You've been waterbending since you were a baby...for my honor," she threw the last part on with a small giggle. Tahno, finally giving up with the moping, just rolled his eyes.

"If I knew you were going to be this much of a hassle, I wouldn't have even bothered."

"That's not very nice. Don't make me go get your mother, young man!"

"And that wouldn't be a fair fight!" He laughed and wrapped his arms around her.

"I know." Korra gave a big yawn and snuggled into Tahno's protective arms, resting her head on his chest.

"I love you, you know that, right? I'm sorry for being so rude all day," he said almost too low for Korra to hear. But she was used to this. Even now, even after their engagement, he still wouldn't hardly talk about his feelings with her; and it was an even harder struggle to get him to admit he was wrong. She smiled into his chest, savoring every sweet word.

"I know, pretty boy. I love you, too."


End file.
